The Pope calls for prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

Certainly rather traditional! As I posted here.   I can’t recall any Pope in my life referring to the devil as often as Pope Francis.

In fact, the pope is so convinced that Satan is to blame for the sexual abuse crisis and deep divisions racking the Church that he has asked Catholics around the world to recite a special prayer every day in October to try to beat him back.

Petitioning the angels for intercession went out of favor awhile ago. In fact I can remember the late head of the Notre Dame theology department in a television interview stating that the Catholic Church had no defined teaching on the existence of angels (Hopefully Fr. Richard McBrien is in purgatory working off his time …). The other priest/theologian being interviewed was rather flabbergasted by McBrien’s comment and immediately referenced a Church Council where angels existence was defined. 

Anyway, here’s the prayer –

“St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.”